340 block. Casting reads TA, now what?

I just got ahold of a 70 340 block, I was going to slowly build up for my truck. I noticed the casting reads TA 340 on side of block. I'm understanding this should be an aar cuda or TA challenger block?? Where should I start to see if the car is still out there and see if owner would like to reunite block with car? I do see numbers stamped into block by oil pan rail area.

The T/A Challengers and AAR Cuda where made for only a few months in 1969/1970 to meet the rules of the Can Am racing association. I would look for special interest groups and clubs for those cars

Post the number on the VIN pad here or email me at sixpak340(insert at symbol here)att.net please?

Hundreds of AARs & T/As on file & I do have owners on record for a lot of them, several of whom are hoping their original block surfaces.

You can also post it here on Moparts in the lost / wanted engine & transmission thread at https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2844/1/engine-and-trans-lost-found.html

Sent you an email Alaskan_TA

I'm sure if my block ever shows up, it will be .060 without main caps or the day before Christmas for 10k. I doubt I will ever see mine. It was replaced in warranty.

Email sent with contact info, I have not heard of this AAR since 1992, so hopefully the contact info is still good!

Great job Barry.

Well, I guess it wasn't mine, but like Fastmark it is doubtful mine will show since it was replaced in 72 under warranty and the extent of the damage is not known.

Fastmark.. Just out of curiosity I assume your replacement short block was a regular 340 block.
I know leftover TA shortblocks have been found in some 71 A-bodies, but I doubt Chrysler went to the extent to make sure a TA owner got a replacement TA block.

Just to clarify. Those blocks were homologated for ACCA trans am racing, not Can-Am road racing. Just sayin

Mine was replaced with a regular 340 short block with a 72 casting date.

Sports Car Club of America

I have a friend with a T/A he purchased that the seller kept the #s match block but will swap him if he can come up with another T/A block. My friend has access
to lots of mopar parts and motors if you would be willing to work with him. Let me know he is located in CA. and the block he needs is back east.

Did this block come with heads and rocker arms?

This is just the block with main caps

But it is from an AAR, so it would have had them originally.

My AAR came from San Angelo, TX in 1976. It had a 71 steel crank warranty short block, with the original TA heads, intake, carbs and air cleaner. It had a tag riveted to the block stating it was a warranty replacement block. The car only had 53,000 miles at the time. Ironically it had a spun rod when I bought it. When I pulled the pan off, the rivet that holds the steel splash shield on the bottom of the intake, was laying in the pan with all the aluminum shards with it. That's what caused the problem. When I looked at the intake, which was off when I bought it, one rivet was gone and the other was replaced with a bolt. I can only speculate that the first missing rivet caused the original motor to fail.

A bit off topic, but I wonder why they didnt use t/a parts, I was able to get two over the counter t/a no vin blocks, on after 76 and one I think it was in 80, both from my local dealer parts guys stash, but still from the dealer.

Ya think maybe some did, some didnt and possibly the service/warranty guy was slackin and just used a 340?

It was not the big deal like it is now. They were 2000 cars with a 200 block. I paid 500 for my TA long block in 1980. I bought it from a guy that got it free from his sponsoring wrecking yard for a hobby stock circle track car. Fortunately he sold it to me instead of racing it.

Getting a T/A block versus getting a normal 340 short block for warranty work is the reason. No one is going to rebuild your engine with a new block for warranty purposes, they are going to slide a warranty short block in there. No one cared about numbers matching back then, least of all the dealer. After all, what was the difference between the two blocks anyway? The T/A cast into to it and PROVISIONS for 4 bolt mains.

I did just the opposite. I had a T/A block in my 70 Duster and dropped a valve in 1981. A buddy was looking for a 340 to run in his circle track car around 1994 and I sold it to him for $100 so he could be the last guy running Mopars on the track in this area.

Good job!

Why not just post the VIN number on here so if someone searches their number it will come up. Not everyone registers their cars with registries.

I think its listed in the lost section.

Supercuda...

No one cared about numbers matching back then, least of all the dealer. After all, what was the difference between the two blocks anyway? The T/A cast into to it and PROVISIONS for 4 bolt mains.

I think it might of been hit or miss, my T/A got a dealership long block under warranty and I still have the holed block from the org. owner, im the second. He was a tech at the same dealership.

PM me a email addy of youd like to see the dealer paperwork